World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
Encyclopedia
The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters is the international
umbrella organization of community radio
broadcasters
founded in 1983, with nearly 3,000 members in 110 countries.
AMARC's mission is to support and contribute to the development of community
and participatory radio
along the principles of solidarity and international cooperation.
AMARC's Statement of Principles states that members of AMARC:
AMARC is a member of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange
(IFEX), a global network of non-governmental organisations that monitors free expression violations worldwide and defends journalists, writers, Internet
users and others who are persecuted for exercising their right to freedom of expression.
It is also involved in the Tunisia Monitoring Group
, a coalition of 16 free expression groups that campaigns to end human rights
violations in Tunisia
.
Members of AMARC gather every 3-4 years for AMARC's general assemblies. At the November 2006 assembly in Amman
, Jordan
, members elected a new international board of directors and endorsed a strategic plan for the next 4 years. The next general assembly will be held in La Plata, Argentina in November 2010.
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
umbrella organization of community radio
Community radio
Community radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest...
broadcasters
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
founded in 1983, with nearly 3,000 members in 110 countries.
AMARC's mission is to support and contribute to the development of community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
and participatory radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
along the principles of solidarity and international cooperation.
AMARC's Statement of Principles states that members of AMARC:
- Believe in the need to democratise access to information and communication in order to promote more just relationships and equitable exchanges among peoples.
- Contribute to the expression of different social, cultural and political movements – in all their diversity – by working to promote all initiatives that encourage peace, friendship among peoples, democracy, and development.
- Recognize the fundamental and specific role of women in establishing new communication practices. Women’s participation in the decision-making structures of community radio stations is essential.
- Express through their programming the following principles:
- Respect for peoples’ sovereignty and independence;
- Respect for solidarity and non-intervention in the internal affairs of other countries;
- International cooperation based on equality, solidarity, mutual respect, and the refusal of all discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion;
- Respect for the cultural identity of all people.
AMARC is a member of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange
International Freedom of Expression Exchange
The International Freedom of Expression eXchange , founded in 1992, is a global network of around 90 non-governmental organisations that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression....
(IFEX), a global network of non-governmental organisations that monitors free expression violations worldwide and defends journalists, writers, Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
users and others who are persecuted for exercising their right to freedom of expression.
It is also involved in the Tunisia Monitoring Group
Tunisia Monitoring Group
The Tunisia Monitoring Group is a coalition of 21 free expression organisations that belong to the International Freedom of Expression Exchange , a global network of non-governmental organisations that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press.The IFEX-TMG...
, a coalition of 16 free expression groups that campaigns to end human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
violations in Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
.
Members of AMARC gather every 3-4 years for AMARC's general assemblies. At the November 2006 assembly in Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, members elected a new international board of directors and endorsed a strategic plan for the next 4 years. The next general assembly will be held in La Plata, Argentina in November 2010.